TSB has launched a Smart Agent function on its website, giving customers immediate access to measures the bank has introduced during Covid-19.

Through the solution, customers can access information on applying for repayment holidays on mortgages, personal loans and business loans. They can also ask questions and get ‘live answers’ from TSB employees – the first time TSB has provided this functionality.

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In addition, to deliver the function, TSB collaborated with IBM, introducing the virtual assistant in just five days.

Suresh Viswanathan, TSB’s COO, said: “We’re determined to help our customers in every way we can during this difficult period. That’s why it was important to deliver this solution quickly. I’m pleased we’ve been able to get it up and running in five days.

“It’s a testament to our teams working in partnership with IBM and our modern banking platform. It means that our colleagues across TSB who are working from home can continue to help customers access our services.”

Using virtual assistant 

Since launching on March 25, Smart Agent has answered over 40,000 customer requests using a combination of a virtual assistant and employees.

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Furthermore, over 250 TSB employees have been trained to provide the service. These employees, the majority of whom are working from home, are from all areas of the bank.

Michael Conway, AI Practice Leader at IBM Services, UK & Ireland, said: “This Covid-19 response has been a great example of IBM and TSB working closely to deliver great outcomes at pace to help customers in real need. We’re looking forward to continuing our partnership and continuing to help transform the customer’s experience across the bank.”

The virtual assistant launch comes after the announcement that IBM will manage TSB’s private cloud environment, running services across TSB’s core banking platforms.

“As the financial services industry continues its rapid transformation, banks are embracing an increasingly digital future. Having a cloud based platform helps TSB roll out digital offerings and deliver cloud-native services to its customers,” Conway added. “This shows how technology can be employed at pace to further enhance the work being carried out by TSB employees.”